|| om tat sat ||

पूर्णेवर्ष सहस्रेतु व्रतस्नानं महामुनिम् ।
अभ्यागच्छन् सुरास्सर्वे तपः फलचिकीर्षवः ॥

'As the seer took ceremonial bath after completing thousand years of penance all the Devas arrived to present him the fruit of his penance'

Balakanda
Sixty Third Sarga

Satananda continued the narration of Viswamitra's story.

' O King ! After completing thousand years of penance the seer took ceremonial bath . Then all the Devas arrived to present him the fruit of his penance . The highly radiant Brahma spoke with sweet words." May all be well with you. With your efforts of good and auspicious deeds you have attained the position of a Rishi" . Having said so Brahma ,the Lord of Devas went away. Then the highly radiant Viswamitra started great penance'.

'Oh Rama ! the Best of men! After some time Menaka the foremost of Apsarasas came to Pushkar to bathe. Then the highly radiant son of Kusika saw Menaka of unparalleled beauty like a lightning in the waters. Bowled over by her beauty the sage spoke to her as follows." Oh Apsarasa welcome to you. You can stay in my Ashram . May all be well with you. I am infatuated with you. Please favor me". Having been spoken thus the Apsarasa stayed on to live with him'.

'O Raghava ! For ten years and for ten springtimes she lived in Viswamitra's Ashram happily. After some time the great seer felt ashamed and deeply saddened. Oh Raghunandana ! The sage realized that this was an act of Devas to steal the power of penance acquired by him. " Oh Because of this failure ten years have been lost in few nights. Being infatuated all efforts have been disturbed". Thinking like that and sighing he was full of remorse and sorrow. He then saw Menaka, the Apsarasa with folded hands shivering in fear. He spoke to her with gracious words and sent her away. Then he moved to the mountains in the northern direction'.

'Then that famous one having decided to overcome desire, performed severe penance with strict discipline on the banks of river Kausiki. Oh Rama ! As he performed that severe penance for thousand years the Devas were scared. All the Devas and the legions of Rishis congregated and decided that Viswamitra deserves to be called "Maharshi". Then Brahma , the Lord of all the worlds having heard the Devas spoke to Viswamitra with sweet words." O Kausika ! Son ! I am pleased with your severe penance. Oh Maharshi welcome to you. I am presenting to you the tittle of Maharshi" . Hearing those words of Brahma , the Lord of all worlds, Viswamitra was neither happy nor unhappy. Bowing to the father for all the worlds and folding his hands in respect Viswamitra spoke to him in reply. "Happy with my own effort of good and auspicious deeds , if the Bhagavan called me Maharshi then I consider myself having overcome the lure of senses". Then Brahma told him ," Oh Best of Munis ! Do not consider yourself to have overcome the lure of senses , keep trying". Having said so he went back the abode of Devas.

After all the Devas left, the great seer raising his shoulders and standing without any support performed severe penance with only air as his food. He performed penance in the peak summer being in the middle of the five fires, in the rainy season with only sky as his shelter, in the deep winter standing the cold waters. Thus he performed the penance for thousand years. When the great seer performed such severe penance the Devas and Indra were perturbed and concerned.

Then Indra along with other Maruts called upon Rambha the Apsarasa to work for the benefit of Devas and deter Viswamitra in his penance.

|| Thus ends the sixty third Sarga of Balakanda in Valmiki Ramayan ||

॥om tat sat॥

रंभां अप्सरसं शक्रः सर्वैर्मरुद्गणैः ।
उवाचात्महितं वाक्यं अहितं कौशिकस्य च ॥

"Then Indra along with other Maruts called upon Rambha the Apsarasa to work for the benefit of Devas and deter Viswamitra".

|| Om tat sat ||